


as you mean to go on

by Meatball42



Series: Rare Pairs [154]
Category: Jessica Jones (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Character Study, Developing Relationship, F/F, Power Dynamics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-02
Updated: 2020-07-02
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:07:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 758
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24869647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Meatball42/pseuds/Meatball42
Summary: Pepper’s dating life has always consisted of men. Smart men, charming, fashionable, witty men, men who could discuss Broadway shows with her in fine dining establishments. Men who were taller than her, mostly. Men who were polite and even deferential in public, but willing to take control in private. And also Tony, but he’s an exception to a lot of things.Jeri is an exception to even more.
Relationships: Jeri Hogarth/Pepper Potts
Series: Rare Pairs [154]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/365729
Comments: 1
Kudos: 5
Collections: Marvel Femslash Exchange 2020





	as you mean to go on

**Author's Note:**

  * For [GlassesOfJustice](https://archiveofourown.org/users/GlassesOfJustice/gifts).



“Ms. Potts,” Friday says pleasantly. “Your guest is on her way.”

“Thank you, Friday,” says Pepper.

“Very well put together, she is,” Friday continues merrily.

“Thank you, Friday, that will be all,” Pepper says a bit more sharply, because with these AIs it’s best to be clear and to show parental disapproval. You never know what will work on Tony and/or his creations on a given day.

Pepper gets up from her desk, smooths down her skirt, and checks her clothes for wrinkles. She checks her face in the mirror, pointedly relaxes the tension in her frame.

 _There’s no reason to worry,_ she tells herself. _You have prepared for this. Everything is in place. Relax, and enjoy._

Pepper’s been training herself with mindfulness podcasts. Anxiety is a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you’re nervous, you’ll make mistakes. If you’re not confident, they’ll smell it on you. If you’re on the back foot, you can’t take advantage of openings.

It works in business. Apparently it stops working at the threshold of her private life. Her dating life.

Pepper’s dating life has always consisted of men. Smart men, charming, fashionable, witty men, men who could discuss Broadway shows with her in fine dining establishments. Men who were taller than her, mostly. Men who were polite and even deferential in public, but willing to take control in private. And also Tony, but he’s an exception to a lot of things.

Jeri is an exception to even more.

Jeri is a professional colleague. Jeri is always in control in public. Even when she lets Pepper make decisions, it’s clear that she’s _letting_ it happen, because she agrees or because she has decided to let Pepper have the upper hand. Jeri makes Pepper feel things, think things, imagine things, that she had never imagined.

Jeri is a woman. And that isn’t a deal-breaker. Pepper wouldn’t have known that even a month ago, before that one late night, after a dinner meeting, when Jeri took her hand unexpectedly. She’d looked at Pepper with that endless confidence in her eyes, and asked if Pepper would go out on a date with her. Please. Sincere, but calm, like Pepper's answer was a foregone conclusion.

Pepper had blushed, stuttered out her agreement, and Jeri’s smug smile had widened. Her polite kiss on Pepper’s cheek was just riding the edge of appropriate for the setting, and it was also the most sensual thing Pepper had felt in months. The brush of her fingertips on Pepper’s wrist made Pepper’s breath catch.

The weeks since have been eye-opening. That kiss on the cheek was barely the tip of the iceberg to what Jeri showed her. It’s tempting to fall headlong into their new relationship like Pepper has so many times before. Her PA is more than able to cover up for a few mistakes caused by daydreaming. But even with the flush of new love in her chest, Pepper constantly remind herself, makes a point of remembering:

Jeri is a shark. Jeri would dump Pepper the moment it was advantageous for her career. Pepper has thousands of employees relying on her. This may be the worst idea she's ever had. But if sh's going to make it anyway, she can't let Jeri have the upper hand for real. She can’t let her guard down.

Pepper hears the quiet tone of the elevator.

Jeri is here.

Pepper exits her office and takes a few long moments to carefully lock her door and take a calming breath. When she turns to face the elevator, she catches Jeri checking out her figure.

“Pepper,” Jeri says warmly, utterly smooth. She comes to Pepper with her hands out. Only the quirk of her lip shows that she knows Pepper saw her looking, that it’s a fun little thing that they share.

How much of that is sincere? Pepper knows what happened to the last romantic partners Jeri can be linked to. She knows that, professionally, Jeri is a master of making people think what she wants them to think. She knows never to trust a lawyer unless she has them on contract, and to stay aware even then.

She knows she shouldn’t let herself fall into this, but Jeri is a force of nature like gravity itself.

Pepper takes her hands.

They kiss on each cheek, and if it feels loaded, hot, then maybe that’s only to Pepper.

“How was your day?” Jeri says against her cheek.

Pepper flushes down to her chest just from Jeri’s breath on her skin, and knows that she’s already lost.


End file.
